Written by

Stephanie Bruner

Special to the Register

This week

• Have you noticed little tufts of stems sprouting up around the base of ornamental trees like crab apples or serviceberries, or even large shrubs? Those are called suckers. Many ornamental trees and shrubs are grafted onto more vigorous rootstock, and the suckers are coming from below the graft. Prune them off as close to the ground as you can, without injuring the trunk or main stem. They aren’t really hurting the plant, although they do take nutrients away from the desirable top growth. If you don’t prune them back, they’ll take over — and suckers usually won’t display the characteristics of the cultivator you chose.

• Don’t worry if you notice neighborhood sycamore trees dropping a lot of leaves. This is caused by anthracnose, a fungal disease that is especially prevalent in cool, wet weather. The trees will leaf out again as the weather warms up.

• It’s not too late to plant summer “bulbs,” such as gladiolas, cannas and elephant’s ear.

This month

• Tomatoes haven’t grown too quickly in this spring’s cool weather, but as soon as it warms up, they’ll explode. Be sure to have a heavy-duty tomato cage or a sturdy stake in place to support them as they begin to grow.

• Houseplants in hanging baskets, such as pothos and Boston fern, are great additions to shaded pergolas or patios. Just hang them where they get morning sun and some shade in the afternoon. In fall, you can move them inside to enjoy during the cold months, or just toss them on the compost pile and start over again next spring.

Stephanie Bruner is a freelance writer from Des Moines who has a degree in horticulture.